Multiple universities have experienced racist and anti-Semitic incidents in the past two months.

At least 16 hate crimes or bias-related incidents have occurred on or near Syracuse University’s campus as of Nov. 21. Hate crimes and bias-related incidents have spread to several universities across the country in the past month, including anti-Semitic and racist graffiti, blackface and references to mass shootings.

Here’s how those incidents compare to SU:

Salisbury University

Early last month, a racial slur was found in an academic building on Salisbury University’s campus. The building was also vandalized with the phrase “Sandy Hook comes to SU,” which was in reference to the 2012 shooting of an elementary school in Connecticut. Images of the vandalism were shared widely on social media.

Multiple students protested the incident in the academic building where it occurred. Salisbury University has since announced the creation of a Chief Diversity Officer position.

SU students studying in Bird Library on Nov. 19 allegedly had a white supremacist manifesto written by the Christchurch mosque shooter sent to their cellphones via AirDrop. A link to the manifesto was also posted on a Greekrank.com forum the night of Nov. 18.

Chancellor Kent Syverud said the AirDrop of the manifesto was “probably a hoax” during a University Senate meeting on Nov. 20. The Syracuse Police Department is currently investigating the incident. SPD has not yet obtained a device that received the manifesto.

University of Georgia

A drawing of a swastika and the word “Heil” were found Oct. 6 on a dry-erase board hanging on a student’s door. On Nov. 9, another student found swastikas drawn on a name tag on their door and other doors in the hall.

UGA President Jere Morehead sent a message to faculty, students and staff on Nov. 21 condemning the incidents.

At least three anti-Semitic incidents occurred at SU in November. A swastika was found etched in a snowbank near Main Campus on Nov. 14. Two days later, Anti-Semitic graffiti depicting a swastika was found in Haven Hall.

SU professor Genevieve García de Müeller received an anonymous email on Nov. 19 that contained hostile, anti-Semitic language and referenced the Holocaust.

Auburn University

An extension cord tied into a noose was reported in the common area of an Auburn University residence hall on Nov. 20, according to a Twitter thread from AU Campus Safety. The safety department condemned the actions as “antithetical” to the university’s values.

“A noose is linked to racial violence in our nation,” AU Campus Safety said in the thread. “Intolerance, intimidation and threatening behavior have no place on Auburn’s campus.”

The individual responsible for hanging the noose has been identified as of Nov. 22. AU Campus Safety did not comment on “individual conduct matters.”

Of the 16 reported hate crimes and bias-related incidents at or near SU campus, six incidents targeted black people. Racist graffiti targeting black people was found on several floors of Day Hall, and members and guests of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity shouted the N-word at a black female student on Nov. 16.

Iowa State University

Multiple racist and anti-Semitic incidents were reported in October and November at Iowa State University, according to ISU Campus Climate reports.

Anti-Semitic messages were written in chalk on campus, a photo depicted a student government adviser in blackface and a racial slur against Latino people was found in a residence hall.

Students Against Racism, a movement protesting the incidents, formed in October following the racist and bias-related incidents.

More than 100 protesters with Students Against Racism marched to ISU President Wendy Wintersteen’s office on Oct. 30 with a list of 15 demands for the university’s administration. The protesters’ demands included bias training for campus police, clarity in campus-wide communication regarding bias incidents and a zero-tolerance policy for racism and anti-Semitism. ISU administration responded to the demands on Nov. 13.

#NotAgainSU, a black student-led movement that formed in response to SU’s hate crimes and bias-related incidents, submitted a list of 19 demands to university administration. The movement’s requests were similar to those of Students Against Racism, including demands for mandatory diversity training for new faculty and staff and the strengthening of the university’s anti-harassment policy.

Since Nov. 8, two racist or anti-Semitic incidents have occurred at ISU. Wintersteen informed ISU on Nov. 13 of a Reddit post threatening physical violence. A swastika was also scratched into a residence hall door on Nov. 19.

An ISU student was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and harassment on Nov. 24 for physically threatening their roommate. The harassment-included statements about the roommate’s race.

Published on December 4, 2019 at 10:25 pm

Contact Natalie: nrrubiol@syr.edu